Josephson effect on YBCO break junctions

We have investigated dc and ac Josephson effects on YBa₂Cu₃O_7–x ceramic samples using the break junction technique. The critical current was measured as a function of external magnetic field and temperature. The field dependence shows superposition effects of junction and SQUID behavior. The critical current depends linearly on temperature like for SNS junctions. We observed Shapiro steps with microwave radiation with a frequency of 35 GHz at 4.2 K and 77 K, respectively. Deviations of the step height from Bessel behavior at low microwave power are explained within the Stewart-McCumber model using small capacitances of the junction in simulation calculations.